MERNIE GILMORE
Conor sets to work cutting Elizabeth’s hair
With all the hand washing I’ve been doing recently, my poor nails are in a sorry state. Normally I love a brightly coloured mani to lift my mood, but since getting my favourite gel polish isn’t an option, I ask Conor to have a go. EXPERT VIEW: “When shaping nails, avoid coarse emery boards or metal files, as these can cause nails to split and peel,” advises celebrity manicurist Leighton Denny (ld-boutique. com). “And don’t file nails when wet .
“Make sure your nails are clean, then apply a base coat. This helps minimise streaks and peeling polish.
“Next, roll the nail polish bottle between your hands to mix it up. Wipe any excess polish off the brush – it should have just enough on it to cover one nail.
“Start from the base of the nail for a smoother finish. To avoid getting polish on the cuticle, place the brush on the nail a few millimetres away from the cuticle, then push backwards towards it, stopping just before the skin. Then make the usual stroke down towards the tip.
“After applying two thin, even layers of colour, wait a few minutes before applying your topcoat.” VERDICT: I decide to let Conor choose the colour, which could be disastrous as he is colour-blind.
However, I quite like the pale lilac shade he selects as it’s cheerful and spring-like.
He carefully paints on the base coat, and I start to think this might not have been such a bad idea after all. But when applying the colour, he drops huge dollops of polish on to my nails, as if plastering a wall.
The result is a thick, sticky coating which looks as if it had been applied by an enthusiastic toddler. Afterwards, we laugh about it, and I re-do my nails using the same lilac shade.
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Conor drops huge dollops of polish on to my nails so I end up with a thick coating